


It's The Space That Taints Us

by A_M_Kelley



Series: Taking Apart A Gigantic Machine [2]
Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Angst, Connor is lowkey a size queen, Cuddling & Snuggling, Developing Relationship, Explicit Sexual Content, First Time, Guilt, Hank is a stubborn s.o.b., Hurt/Comfort, Idiots in Love, M/M, Making Love, Older Man/Younger Man, Post-Canon, Rough Sex, Sexual Tension, Sharing Clothes, Shopping, Spoilers, Voyeurism
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-19
Updated: 2018-07-03
Packaged: 2019-05-18 13:21:50
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 14,793
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14853545
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/A_M_Kelley/pseuds/A_M_Kelley
Summary: He turned around and was greeted by a familiar sight he thought he’d never see again. Hank wanted to be mad, wanted to yell at Connor for being so selfish and leaving him alone formonths… But the moment Connor took a few steps towards him and smiled (an honest to Godsmile, for crying out loud) Hank crumbled immediately and pulled the android into a tight hug like he had no intention of letting go.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Sorta a _re-imagining_ of my previous Hannor fic, but acts as an epilogue to the actual game.
> 
> Also, I've been reading too much manga as of late so this story might be a little bit more angsty than anticipated.

Hank isn’t sure how long he’s been standing here, waiting. All he knew was that it was cold as fuck and the anticipation of waiting around was slowly killing him. Ever since he got the call his heart has been racing. It was beating so fast Hank thought it might actually burst from how excited he was.

The call in question came yesterday evening after Hank got off work.

 

He was relaxing, watching tv with his dog Sumo and contemplating whether or not to get loaded. Now that some of the excitement has gone after the recent events concerning the deviant revolution there wasn’t much left for Hank to worry about as far as work went. So he couldn’t engross himself in files and paperwork like he has for the past couple of months.

That’s when he was brought out of his dilemma by the sound of his phone ringing. Hank had half a mind to just ignore it, figuring it was work calling him, but something compelled him to drag himself off the couch and answer it. Sumo perked his head up to see what was going on before laying his head back down on his big paws. Hank grabbed the phone and answered it with a gruff _yeah?_ without even bothering to check the caller ID.

“Is this Lieutenant Anderson of the Detroit Police Department?” A female voice chimed in softly.

“Who’s asking?” Hank replied in a brusque tone.

“I'm calling on behalf of an RK800 model by the name of Connor,” the lady explained, and somehow she sounded familiar with her patient and even timbre.

“What’s this about? Is he okay?” Hank asked quickly.

It was the first time since the revolution that Hank got word of Connor. He had been worried sick (much more than he’d like to admit) about what would become of the android after he became deviant. They spoke only briefly after what they did at the CyberLife facility and the _success_ of Markus’ peaceful revolution, but their conversation had left a bad taste in Hank’s mouth.

Hank advocated that Connor should just embrace his life as a deviant, as a living being, and come stay with him at his home, but Connor insisted that he return to CyberLife even after everything that happened. Hank didn’t understand how that could possibly be the best option and ended up shouting things at Connor he would come to regret afterwards…

_You always were a fucking moron..._

_Stupid hunk of plastic!_

_You don’t deserve the life you’ve been given!_

_I **hope** they deactivate you!_

He had been genuinely pissed off at Connor in that moment, so much so that he could have punched him right in his goofy face but refrained from doing so. He was upset and angry that, even though Connor was now deviant, he still felt obligated to follow protocol like he had no say in the matter. To have someone else decide whether or not he deserved to live. But after hearing his name, all Hank could think about was if Connor was okay. If someone was _calling on his behalf_ , that could only mean one thing... Right?

“I assure you he’s doing well, Mr. Anderson,” the woman said, putting Hank at ease for the time being. “He’s ready to be released from our care and would like to inquire if you’d meet up with him at a designated location.”

“Uh, y-yeah. Sure,” Hank stammered, feeling his heart stop for a few agonizing seconds before he regained some semblance of articulation. “Where has he asked to meet up at?”

 

And now here he was freezing his ass off at the Chicken Feed truck, waiting for _Boy Wonder_ to show up. He made the mistake of arriving early, but Hank had been too eager, for lack of a better word. Last night he tossed and turned in bed, unable to catch a wink because he was so preoccupied about finally seeing Connor again after two months without a word. Even having Sumo snuggle up against him in bed couldn’t quell his overactive mind. He was like a child on Christmas Eve all over again, waiting impatiently to catch sight of the fabled Santa Claus.

He turned around and was greeted by a familiar sight he thought he’d never see again. Hank wanted to be mad, wanted to yell at Connor for being so selfish and leaving him alone for _months_ … But the moment Connor took a few steps towards him and smiled (an honest to God _smile_ , for crying out loud) Hank crumbled immediately and pulled the android into a tight hug like he had no intention of letting go.

Connor reciprocated the hug, going so far as to rest his head against Hank’s shoulder as he wrapped his arms around the the older man. It was as if a piece of Hank had been missing and now that he was reunited with Connor he could be complete once again. Hank buried his face into the top of Connor’s head and inhaled deeply. Connor didn’t smell like much of anything, but there was a faint scent of cologne lingering about him.

Hank didn’t want to let go, but if he didn’t now he wouldn’t be able to at all. Hank pulled away but he held Connor close as he got a good look at the android. He was looking Connor up and down, making sure to study every little detail about him for fear that he might leave again. He was still the same model Hank had initially met at the bar those few months back. Hank could tell because his model number below the RK800 badge was still the same. The older man smirked.

“You’re still wearing this stupid thing?” Hank commented, referring the the CyberLife issued suit Connor was required to wear at all times.

“Didn’t have a change of clothes on me,” Connor replied with a hint of playfulness in his tone, flashing another smile.

“We’ll fix that,” Hank promised, hands on Connor’s hips. “Soon enough you’ll have a style all your own.”

“ _Style_? Like yours?” Connor remarked, sounding particularly sassy in his delivery.

He yanked Connor further into him, holding the android close as his hand dipped down to rest at the small of Connor’s back. The way he held Connor was intimate in a way. They were pressed tightly together, the length of their bodies aligning perfectly as they embraced, but enough space between them to stare into each other’s eyes.

“What’s wrong with the way I dress?” Hank inquired, gazing down into benevolent, warm brown eyes.

“Nothing. I like the way you dress,” Connor replied ardently, gently clinging to Hank’s jacket. “Shabby chic suits you.”

“ _Shabby chic?_ Is that a nice way of saying I look like a bum?” Hank offered with a short laugh.

“I was going to say _unkempt_ , but now that you mention it…” Connor trailed off.

It was so surreal to see Connor smiling and being _snarky_ , of all things. If Hank didn’t know any better, and if Connor wasn’t wearing his standard issue CyberLife uniform, he’d say Connor was human. He sure did seem a lot more loose and comfortable since the last time Hank’s seen him, after all it’s been a little over two months since Connor became deviant. Whatever he was doing at CyberLife for the past couple months, it seemed to have worked.

“You certainly got more feisty since you’ve been gone,” Hank observed.

His voice was a low murmur now. It’s not like Hank felt the need to keep his voice down, seeing as how no one was around, but something in the way they held each other made their exchange feel intimate and secret. Hank felt obligated to protect Connor, keeping his voice down and holding him close seemed like the only way to do that. As silly as that was.

“Side effect of becoming human, I suppose,” Connor said wistfully.

Hank should be happy for Connor, and he truly is all things considered, but now that the excitement of seeing Connor has worn off a little bit he can’t help but dwell on the past. Surely, Connor remembered all those terrible things Hank shouted at him the last time they were together. He had hard drives for storing information like that, he wouldn’t have just forgotten.

Maybe Connor learned about discretion and was playing ignorant for Hank’s sake. Bringing it up now would just make things awkward and possibly start an argument the older man wasn’t ready to get into just yet. Besides, Connor just got back and what Hank said two months ago should be the farthest thing from his mind right now. He should just enjoy finally being able to hold Connor in his arms, but his stomach was in knots over the guilt weighing on his conscience.

He slowly let his hands drop back down to his sides and took a step away from Connor to put some distance between them. Connor stood there obediently, none the wiser about what was going through Hank’s head right now, and gave the older man an easy smile. Later, Hank would notice Connor doing that more and more now that he had free will over his emotions.

“I'm freezing my balls off. How about we take you home,” Hank suggested, slapping Connor on the back.

“ _Home?_ ” Connor inquired curiously, tilting his head slightly.

“Well, I mean, _my_ place. I assume you don’t have anywhere to go, so I figured you can crash with me for the time being,” Hank stammered. He felt embarrassed having to explain himself without it coming off as awkward. “Unless you don’t want to, then I understand.”

“ _Home…_ ” Connor echoed. He stared up into Hank’s eyes, beaming in wonder. “I'd like that.”

“Then what are we waiting for?” Hank said, holding his hand out towards Connor like an invitation.

Connor accepted, following Hank to his car as they walked hand in hand. It might have been freezing out, but Connor felt warm and toasty on the inside.


	2. Chapter 2

Connor’s been inside Hank’s house before, very briefly and it’s been months mind you, but the moment he stepped through the door and was greeted by Sumo he already felt like he was home. Like he actually belonged somewhere. Sumo trotted over to him and jumped up, extending the full length of his body so he could stand up on his hind legs and paw at Connor. Sumo let out a few yips as Connor playfully grappled with the large dog.

Connor wobbled slightly and crumpled to the ground when the dog’s weight overtook him. Connor was sitting down on the ground, fending off Sumo as the St. Bernard panted and licked all over Connor’s face. Hank offered an amused smirk as he watched Connor struggle to contain Sumo’s excitement. He hasn’t seen his dog act so jovial in such a long time, not since before Cole… Hank felt a pang in his heart.

“He really missed you,” Hank pointed out as Connor’s face was coated in dog drool. Hank shrugged off his jacket and hung it up on the coat rack by the door. “Must’ve made an impression on him the last time he saw you.”

“Well, he certainly left an impression on me,” Connor recounted, cupping Sumo’s dopey face in his hands to ruffle his fur and stroke his head. He lowered his voice and addressed Sumo directly. “Have you been taking care of Hank while I was gone?”

Sumo barked in response like he understood what Connor was saying to him.

“Did you want to change into something more comfortable?” Hank asked after Connor was done fawning over Sumo. “I think I have a pair of clean sweatpants lying around here somewhere.”

“Sure,” Connor concurred, picking himself off the floor.

Connor followed Hank to his bedroom, taking a look around as he was lead through the house. It looked a lot more clean than he remembered and there wasn’t as many bottles or beer cans lying around. Hank ducked into his room and made his way over to the closet as Connor hung in the doorway. Hank’s room was a mess and the sheets on his bed were crumpled and strewn all over its surface. Like Hank hadn’t slept well.

Hank was rustling around in his closet, pushing aside his assortment of out of style button ups until he came across a pair of sweatpants and an old worn Detroit Police Academy shirt. He turned around to see Connor looking around his room, scanning it probably, and cleared his throat to get the android’s attention.

“Try these on,” Hank said, throwing the bundle of clothes at Connor. “They might be a little big on you, but it’s only temporary. We’ll get you some new threads sometime later this week.”

“I'm sure they’ll be fine,” Connor assured, mouth pulling to one side as he stepped further into the room.

Connor laid the clothes onto Hank’s bed and began to disrobe from his CyberLife uniform. Hank watched as Connor shrugged off his suit jacket and tossed his tie aside. When Connor got to his shirt and pants, Hank froze and turned away sharply, feeling flustered that Connor could just so casually get naked in front of him. Then again, there wasn’t much to see anyway, right? Still, Hank turned his back to the android and gave him some privacy out of courtesy.

He could hear Connor shuffling around behind him and the sound cloth rustling as the android straightened himself out. Hank didn’t know why he was so perturbed by the prospect of Connor undressing in front of him. He was android. He was built like a Ken doll. Connor had no modesty to hide, but here Hank was itching to turn around and sneak a peek of Connor’s body. But before he was even able to muster up the courage to do so, Connor laid a hand on Hank’s shoulder beckoning the older man to face him.

Hank gazed at Connor, taking in the sight of the android. There was something satisfying about seeing Connor wearing his clothes and getting his scent all over him. The way his clothes eclipsed Connor’s more lithe frame made Hank’s mouth go dry. He looked so small and delicate in them that it sent a jolt straight to Hank’s groin. They were so baggy and loose draped about his hips and shoulders that the collar of his police academy shirt dipped down low enough to reveal Connor’s collarbone.

Connor stepped forward, resting a hand on Hank’s chest as if he had the ability to keep the man rooted in place by just the slightest touch. And, truly, he did. Hank was frozen to the spot and couldn’t move away from Connor even _if_ he wanted to.

“I really appreciate you doing this, even though you don’t have to,” Connor told him, pressing in close. He brought his other hand up and wrapped his arms around Hank. “Thank you, Hank.”

“Um, sure. No problem,” Hank replied, reciprocating Connor’s embrace.

“I’ve missed you so much,” Connor confided, his voice a mere murmur against Hank’s ear.

There was a hint of loneliness in Connor’s tone, and maybe even an underlining whisper of guilt, but on top of everything Connor sounded genuine. Hank squeezed Connor tighter.

“I missed you too,” Hank admitted, though the feeling was slightly bitter.

He wouldn’t have had to say that if Connor hadn't left him in the first place and that infuriated Hank, but so long as he was holding Connor he could forget about that for a brief moment. Connor leaned back a little to look up into Hank’s eyes, waiting for something to happen, anything really, but Hank got flustered once again and let go of the android.

“How do they fit?” Hank inquired, changing the subject back to the clothes.

“Loose… but comfy,” Connor added with a smirk.

“ _Comfy_ , huh?”

“What?”

“Not used to you sounding so _casual_ ,” Hank stated, smiling at the little ways in which Connor has changed. “I like it. Makes you sound more…”

“Human?” Connor finished, raising his eyebrows expectantly.

“Yeah,” Hank said as he stepped away from Connor.

He rubbed at the back of his neck and pivoted his body towards the doorway to his room. Hank felt trapped despite being so close to the exit. It was like Connor was keeping him there. Like he was under a spell. He was finally all alone with the android and he had thought about nothing but this moment for months. The moment when he could tell Connor exactly how he felt and apologize for all those things he said. It also didn’t help that Connor was wearing his old clothes in his bedroom and staring at him with an indescribable expression.

It made Hank what to do things to Connor. Pointless things that could never be because, despite all the things that made Connor human, they’d never be compatible in the way Hank wanted. That was just how the cookie crumbled. The look in Connor’s eyes pretty much said the same as he stood there waiting for something to transpire. But it never came to be and, instead, Hank suggested that they just relax and watch some tv together, stammering as he did.

So they retired to the living room and for the rest of the night the two of them sat side by side watching tv like everything was fine and right in the world. Sumo was laying on the ground in front of the tv, lightly dozing and occasionally making noises in his sleep that caught Connor’s attention every so often. Hank would chuckle whenever Connor asked if Sumo was alright and would then explain to the android that Sumo was just dreaming about chasing cats.

That seemed to puzzle Connor, but he didn’t question it. If Hank said Sumo was okay then that was enough for Connor.

As the the evening dragged on and the sun went down, Connor had gotten so comfortable that he actually pulled his legs onto the couch and folded them beneath him. He even found himself moving closer and closer to Hank. Hank would start to nod off every now and again, but every time he roused from his little micro naps, whether it be a loud sound effect from the tv or Sumo yipping in his sleep, he’d notice Connor a little closer each time.

At first he thought it was his mind playing tricks on him because he was tired, but by the time it was nearly eleven Connor was practically on his lap. The android was curled up in a ball in clothes that didn’t fit and slowly burrowing himself into Hank’s side. Hank glanced down at Connor. His eyes were open and he was still actively watching the program on tv, so Hank couldn’t delude himself into writing it off as Connor unwittingly seeking out contact in his sleep.

Still, it was nice to think Connor made this choice _himself_. Like he _wanted_ to.

A smile tugged at his lips and Hank wrapped an arm around Connor to pull the android closer. Connor shifted with him and let out a _sigh_. Neither of them said a word, opting to just enjoy the moment as they sat there holding onto each other. Every so often Hank would thread his fingers through Connor’s hair, finding it to be quite soft much to his surprise. Connor would arch into the contact like an animal seeking out affection and wrapped an arm across Hank’s torso.

Hank peered down at the android in his arms, spying the LED on Connor’s temple. It was the standard soft blue color and it was blinking in an even cadence. Most androids were prying theirs off these days to blend better into society, but Connor still had his despite everything. Hank eyed it curiously.

“You still have your LED,” Hank pointed out.

“Oh, yeah. I forgot about that,” Connor said slowly as he reached up to finger it.

“You have any plans on removing it?” Hank inquired, then added quickly, “Not that you need to or anything. It’s your body. You can do whatever you want with it. I’ve just noticed that some androids prefer taking them off.”

“I'm not sure yet,” Connor pondered out loud. “A part of me feels attached to it, no pun intended. Like it’s a part of what makes me who I am.”

“But..?”

“But it also feels like a ball and chain,” Connor divulged solemnly.

“Well, whatever you decide to do, I’ll always think of you as that know-it-all plastic prick I met in Jimmy’s Bar,” Hank teased, bringing a little levity to the conversation.

“Thanks, Hank. That means a lot coming from you,” Connor said, letting out a soft chuckle.

The android snuggled his head against Hank’s chest and let out a content sigh. Connor wasn’t warm or fluffy like Sumo, but it felt refreshing to hold another person for a change. Plus, he didn’t have to worry about getting dog slobber all over himself. Hank couldn’t remember the last he’s just cuddled with someone and watched tv. The act itself was so casual yet intimate at the same time and it left Hank wondering what he did to deserve this and what the catch was.

Good things in Hank’s life never lasted.

That became more apparent when Hank struggled to keep his eyes open for more than a minute. He could honestly stay here all night and fall asleep with Connor in his arms, but Hank had to draw a line at some point. He couldn’t let himself get carried away in his feelings for Connor. Even if Connor’s feelings were mutual, Hank still had to repent for the way he treated Connor even before he said those nasty things to him the last time. Right now as it stands, Hank didn’t feel worthy of Connor’s affection or, heaven forbid, _love_.

So, as much as it killed him, Hank found himself nudging Connor gently as if to get him to sit up. Connor rose up from where he had laid his head on Hank’s chest and peered over at the older man, furrowing his eyebrows. Hank leaned forward to grab the remote off the coffee table and switched the tv off. He glanced over at Connor who was waiting for Hank to say something, looking only mildly disappointed that Hank had pulled away but accepting of it all the same.

“It’s getting pretty late and I got work tomorrow,” Hank explained, seeing a look of understanding wash over Connor’s features.

“Of course,” Connor said resolutely, trying for a smile. “I should probably turn in for the night anyway.”

“I, uh, hope you don’t mind sleeping on the couch,” Hank said, the space between them feeling tense and thick. Hank felt like he was putting Connor in the doghouse. “It’s comfortable enough, you just gotta worry about Sumo drooling all over you.”

Connor spared a look over at the big dog and smirked slightly.

“I think I could get used to that,” Connor offered with a hum of amusement.

“I’ve had him for years and _I’m_ still not used to it,” Hank barked out with a chuckle. Hank stood up from the sofa. “I’ll go grab you a blanket and some pillows.”

Hank wandered off towards his bedroom rummaged around in his closet for a spare duvet and a pillow or two. When he came back out he saw Connor sitting cross legged in the middle of the couch. He had his hands folded in his lap with his shoulders sloping down, causing the collar of Hank’s shirt to dip slightly, displaying Connor’s pale neck and clavicle. Connor was the picture of innocence if Hank’s ever seen one.

Hank brought the bundle over to Connor and fixed the couch up as a makeshift bed. Connor laid down against the cushions, prompting Hank to drape the blanket over his body. There was something charming and heart warming in the way Connor immediately curled up in the blanket and it made Hank want to lie down with him and hold him in a big bear hug. But Hank pushed that thought away.

“Goodnight, kid,” Hank said in a gentle, soft tone.

“Goodnight, Hank,” Connor replied, staring up at the older man from his blanket cocoon.

Sumo roused out of his nap long enough to stand up and trot over to his bed in the corner. Hank went over to the switch to turn off the lights and made his way down the short hall to his room. He left the door open like he always does, seeing as how Sumo would sometimes wander in here in the middle of the night, but also to keep an ear out for Connor in case the android needed him.

He flicked the lights on briefly to get himself ready for bed and noticed the pile of clothes Connor had left strewn across Hank’s mattress and floor. Connor’s pants and suit jacket were in a pile on the ground and his white button up and tie were draped over the side of his bed. Hank figured he’d be a nice guy and put them away somewhere safe just in case. So he folded everything up and tucked them into his closet. All except for Connor’s tie.

After he was all done, he kicked his pants off and unbuttoned one of his many _fashionable_ shirts until he was left only in his undershirt and boxers. He shut the light off and padded over towards his bed to finally catch some shut eye. Hank clambered onto his bed, Connor’s tie in hand, and slid beneath the covers.

He settled down against the mattress, letting it engulf him, and closed his eyes. After a few minutes of laying there in his bed, Hank’s eyes snapped open once again and he stared at the ceiling through the darkness. He had just been on the verge of passing out fifteen minutes ago, but now that he was actually laying down in bed he couldn’t even keep his eyes closed for more than a minute.

For the next few moments, Hank tossed and turned, trying to find the optimal amount of comfort to get him relaxed. At one point Hank peered over at his bedside clock only to realize it was already well past midnight, much to his chagrin. Hank sighed and muttered _it’s gonna be one of those nights, huh?_ to himself, accepting the fact that he wasn’t going to get any sleep tonight either.

Hank wondered if every night was going to be like this. Hank turned over onto his side and reached out, hoping to find a warm body lying there beside him, but only getting disappointment in return. He knew it was silly, considering all the other countless nights he’s spent alone in this room, but now that another person was here, well… One couldn’t help but feel incredibly lonely all of sudden.

Hank wrapped Connor’s tie around his hand, held it up to his face, and inhaled the faint scent. It smelt of snow and cologne and a vague form of _new car smell_. He shuddered, making a noise caught somewhere between a sigh and a sob, as he grabbed one of his pillows and clutched it to his chest. In a last ditch effort, Hank closed his eyes tightly as he prayed for sleep to just take him already. But, in the end, it was no use. Hank was wide awake now.

All he could think about was Connor and how perfectly he could fill the empty space beside him.


	3. Chapter 3

They ended up getting Connor a few outfits later in the week like Hank promised. All the money Hank had saved from cutting back on alcohol actually came in handy since Connor had a keen eye for all the things that just so happened to be outside of a ten dollar budget range like Hank was used to. Whenever Connor would pick something out Hank would eye it skeptically, sweating when he saw the price tag.

“Are you sure that’s the one you want?” Hank asked, and every time he would send an internal prayer to the heavens.

“I like it,” Connor said frankly. “It has character.”

He gave the article of clothing a once over before tossing it into the cart that Hank was pushing around. He followed Connor up and down the aisles several times as the android pondered what pants would go best with the shirts he picked out. The things Connor chose weren’t really all that expensive, but a part of him was a cheapskate deep down inside. Hence why his clothes always seemed out of style.

Apparently Connor had an eye for fashion, though. He wasn’t sure if it was because Connor was scanning shit and putting them through some sort of fancy diagnostic test or if he was just picking things at will. Either way, Connor had some nice things set aside to try on.

They had caught the attention of a few curious patrons who eyed them with a scrutinizing gaze. It was hard to tell if it was disgust or genuine curiosity, but Hank didn’t like it one bit. He didn’t need random strangers judging him _or_ Connor while they peacefully shopped for _clothes_. The stares seemed to burn holes through Hank, especially whenever Connor came up to Hank to ask his opinion about something.

“What do you think of this one?” Connor inquired, holding a button up shirt to his chest. “It’s not too formal is it?”

Meanwhile, the people around them stared as they eavesdropped on their conversation. Connor was completely oblivious despite all the fancy tech that made him top of the line, but Hank noticed each and every pair of judging eyes. He wanted to turn around, shout, and ask everyone what the hell was so damn entertaining to them, but it was Connor’s day and he didn’t want to ruin it by making a scene.

So Hank figured _fuck it_ and just owned it. Fuck what other people thought.

“It looks _alright_ ,” Hank answered honestly. He turned to the clothing rack and rummaged around for a moment before pulling something out. “But I think you’d look better in plaid.”

“ _Plaid_ ,” Connor echoed thoughtfully, studying the varying shades of purple tartan. “The pattern is aesthetically pleasing.”

Connor beamed up at the older man and reached out to hug the Lieutenant. Hank paused for a second, the stares of strangers nagging at him, but reciprocated the hug all the same. He could hear a few people gasp or scoff in disgust, but that only made Hank squeeze tighter. Connor was the first to pull away, smiling as he clutched the shirt to his chest.

“Thanks, Hank.”

“Yeah, anytime,” Hank replied awkwardly as he watched Connor trot over the pants once again.

He trailed behind Connor for a little while longer after that. Long enough to have some of the original patrons filter out and they were virtually the only ones in there. He didn’t think it would take this long for Connor to pick something out, but then again Hank’s been wrong before. Whenever he’d take Cole shopping it was always such a big affair and somehow Cole would always convince Hank to buy more than what he planned. Children did that, and Hank supposed Connor was no different.

In spite of all the whistles and bells Connor came with, Connor was a child in many ways. The android had only been a couple months old when they first met and Connor only recently became deviant. He still had a lot to learn. Hank was just glad that _he_ got ahold of him and not someone else. Hank couldn’t even begin to imagine what would’ve became of Connor if Gavin had been assigned his partner. Would he have had a change of heart like Hank? Or would he be no better than the people who stared at them in the shop?

After awhile Hank looked down into the cart and saw Connor had a nifty little collection of clothes. Connor had picked out probably five full outfits by the time he was done.

“Ready to try them on in the changing room?” Hank asked as Connor took another sweeping gaze around the store.

“Changing room?”

“Yeah, to make sure they fit?” Hank said with a hint of uncertainty. Connor gave him a look and it dawned on Hank how stupid his question had been. “You calculated the measurements didn’t you?”

“Yes.”

“I mean, you can still try them on. See how they look on you. What if you end up not liking something?” Hank posed, crossing his arms over his chest.

“I picked these out because I liked them,” Connor stated like the smartass he is. “I doubt I’d change my mind after trying them on.”

Hank let out a small chuckle and shook his head fondly.

“What?” Connor asked, furrowing his brows.

_Cole was the same way..._

“Nothing…” Hank concluded, pushing the cart along. “Lets go check out if you’re ready.”

Connor followed Hank to the check out. When they got to the counter, Hank started pulling the articles of clothing out of the cart and handing them over to the cashier to scan. Once Hank got down to the last few items he noticed a couple pairs of black boxer briefs. Hank arched an eyebrow and shot a Connor a baffled expression. Connor smiled nervously and scratched the back of his head, looking like he was caught with his hand in the cookie jar.

“ _Underwear?_ ” Hank questioned, tone skeptical. “What are these for?”

“Nothing!” Connor said quickly.

The cashier’s gaze flicked between Hank and Connor as he casually scanned the clothes. He knew it wasn’t any of his business, but to see this man asking this android about underwear and looking quite disheveled and flustered during the exchange was kind of precious in an amusing way.

“I figured they would make me appear more _normal_ ,” Connor explained, hoping that would be sufficient enough for Hank.

“You _are_ normal,” Hank told Connor sincerely.

“I can put them back,” Connor offered, reaching for the underwear.

Connor looked and sounded embarrassed, or maybe even ashamed. He felt kind of bad for putting the android on the spot like that in front of the cashier, but it honestly caught him off guard. Hank grabbed the boxer briefs and put them on the counter before Connor could do anything.

“No, if you want them so bad I’ll get them for you,” Hank stated.

“I don’t want to impose…”

“You’re not,” Hank assured, clasping Connor on the shoulder tenderly. “How about you go wait for me in the car?”

“Are you sure?” Connor asked, feeling uncertain.

“It’s fine,” Hank insisted, offering him a genuine smile. “Go on, I’ll be out in a second.”

“Okay,” Connor relented.

And, for once, Connor listened and made his way back out onto the street and climbed into Hank’s car. Hank watched him, making sure he got there safely and turned back to the cashier who had just finished ringing up the items Connor picked out. Hank waited patiently as the cashier bagged everything up and set it on the counter.

“How much do I owe you?” Hank asked, pulling out his wallet to rifle through his money.

“One-hundred and eight dollars and fifty-seven cents,” replied the man behind the counter.

Hank counted up his bills, realizing he didn’t have nearly enough for that and sighed.

_Credit it is, then._

“You’re doing a good thing,” said the Cashier as Hank swiped his card.

“Huh?”

“The android,” the man reiterated, gesturing towards Connor sitting in the car. “What you’re doing is very charitable.”

“He’s my _friend_ ,” Hank shrugged.

He didn’t deserve a pat on the back because he was doing what was right. Buying Connor clothes wasn’t enough to atone for what he called him. What he said to him before he left…

_I **hope** they deactivate you!_

The words rang in his ears, echoing. Hank didn’t mean it. He was angry and scared. Hank just couldn’t bear to lose Connor like he lost Cole. But he came back in the end and in one piece, so why doesn’t Hank feel more relieved? Why is he so afraid to get close to Connor? Was it guilt? Was it anger? Maybe it was Hank’s damn conscience getting the better of him once again.

“Would you like your receipt?” asked the Cashier.

“No, I'm good. Have a nice day,” Hank excused, grabbing the bags and leaving the store.

 

Once they were home, Connor was practically beaming ear to ear as he carried in his bundle of clothes. Hank couldn’t believe Connor would be so excited over _clothes_ , but he assumed it didn’t take much to make the android happy.

“You can keep those in the top drawer of my dresser in my bedroom,” Hank offered as Connor started to root around in one of the bags. “Make sure you take the tags off beforehand, though.”

“Thanks, Hank. I’ll do that right now,” Connor responded with a bright smile.

“Alright. I'm gonna make myself some dinner,” Hank announced.

Connor wandered off down the hall as Hank shrugged off his jacket and hung it up. He made his way over towards the kitchen, contemplating what he should eat. He didn’t particularly want to spend too much time preparing something, but he also wasn’t really in the mood for frozen food. Hank ran through a mental list of things he had, trying to recall if he had any canned food that would be filling enough.

He opted to fill up Sumo’s food bowl while he was at it since it was running a little low. It was nearly full before they left, so Hank only put in one cup of dog food into the dish. The sound of food pellets hitting the hard plastic was enough to call Sumo out of his nap and over towards his food bowl. Sumo almost immediately started gobbling it up, acting as if he hadn’t been fed at all today.

“You’re worse than I am at a buffet,” Hank mumbled to himself as he took in the ravenous sight of his St. Bernard inhaling the dog food.

After a moment Hank walked over to the cupboards and opened one. He ended up fishing out a can of chili that he could heat in the microwave for a few minutes. He popped the tin open, poured it out onto a plate, and tossed it in the microwave for three minutes. He glanced over at Sumo who had stopped eating for the time being to lap at the water in the other dish. The machine whirred noisily behind him, making the older man impatient.

 _Guess I can go change my clothes while I'm waiting,_ Hank pondered.

Hank left the kitchen and walked down the hallway towards his bedroom. As he turned into his room, Hank paused and stood in the doorway as all the blood in his body rushed to his face, making his cheeks burn. He realized now that he was _blushing_ , of all things. A grown man at his age blushing like a schoolgirl who just talked to her crush. What was the world coming to?

Connor was over by Hank’s bed with his back turned to the door, stark naked. Hank didn’t know what to do. He figured he should just turn around and leave Connor to change in private, but he couldn’t move because he was so entranced by the sight of the android. He remembered seeing the scantily clad sex bots at Club Eden, and that hadn’t really fazed him, but this was _Connor_. Sweet, naive Connor who licked weird shit at crime scenes.

Connor was none the wiser about his presence either. Hank stood there in the threshold of the door, lips parted as he raked his eyes up and down the expanse of Connor’s body. He noticed the way his shoulders sloped down or how his lithe frame tapered off into a slim waist. Hank even caught the finer details of beauty marks and moles adorning Connor’s shoulder blades and lower back.

His eyes drifted lower despite best efforts not to, but Hank’s curiosity got the better of him and his gaze followed the curve of Connor’s body. The older man couldn’t believe what he was seeing. He didn’t know what he was expecting, but it certainly wasn’t a shapely backside true to form.

Hank drank in the sight, more stunned than anything that CyberLife would’ve spent time making a part of Connor no one was supposed to see so realistic. He even had dimples on his lower back at the precipice of where his ass met his waist. Why? What was the purpose? Had Connor always been built that way? Were they _all_ built that way?

But as soon as Hank could start having an existential crisis, Connor was bending over to tug on a pair of his black boxer briefs Hank purchased for him. They came up to cup Connor’s ass snuggly, but rode low on his waist. The way Connor filled them out had Hank’s heart racing and his pulsing pounding erratically. The blood that had rushed to his face was slowly draining south, much to his chagrin.

Hank just about lost it when Connor brought his hands around and cupped himself tenderly on the ass to see how they fit. Hank eyed the android as Connor felt himself up, squeezing his cheeks and curling his fingers in towards his underwear clad crevice. Hank’s erection gave an incessant throb, causing him to squirm uncomfortably in his pants.

Connor’s hands ran down to the backs of his thighs, fingertips teasing at the hems of the leg holes, and brought them back up. Hank imagined what it would feel like to run his hands all over Connor’s body and what that would feel like for the android. Hank knew what he was getting out of watching Connor, but what was this doing for Connor? Was he just curious about his body or was this exciting for him in a way?

Subconsciously, Hank dropped a hand down to grope himself through his pants, functioning on pilot mode more than anything, as Connor continued caress his body. Hank told himself it was just to adjust his erection, but that became an apparent lie when his gaze followed Connor’s hands. Connor was feeling along his thighs, butt, and groin (at least that’s what Hank figured when the android’s hands disappeared towards the front of his body).

The heel of Hank’s hand grinded vigorously against his hard on and he let out a soft groan that was ultimately smothered in the back of his throat. Connor wiggled his hips, shifting his weight to put more emphasis into the way he caressed himself. Hank felt his pulse quickening, the friction against his clothed arousal and the sight of Connor touching himself proving to be almost too much for him, and pulled his hand away before he could get himself even more worked up.

Just then, the microwave gave a _ding!_ , allowing Hank to force himself out of the doorway and back down the hall before he could be found out. Sumo was leaving the kitchen as Hank arrived and brushed past his dog without a hint of acknowledgement. He was too mortified by what he just witnessed. Not because he didn’t like what he saw, quite the contrary actually. He’s always had feelings for Connor, but he was never really certain about the extent of them. After watching Connor, Hank knew better now.

The proof of that was currently straining in his pants.

Hank retrieved his food from the microwave but hadn’t the appetite to eat it now. His face was hot and itchy and he ached from the waist down. He sat down at the kitchen table and set the piping hot plate down on the can cluttered surface. There wasn’t much to do now but stare resolutely at his food and wait for his arousal to pass. His stomach lurched as the smell of chili hit him and gave a low growl of protest.

About five minutes later, after Hank was able to calm down and convince himself to at least pick at his food a little, Connor emerged from the hall clad only in a pair of boxer briefs and Hank’s old police academy shirt. The scoop of chili that was on Hank’s spoon slowly slid off as the older man leered at the android. It made sense why Connor wanted underwear now. He intended on using them as pajamas since Hank’s sweatpants were too big on him.

Connor sat down on the couch (aka his bed for the time being) and turned on the tv. Sumo’s paws made little _clacking_ sounds as he padded over towards the android.

“Hi, Sumo,” Connor said softly, reaching out to scratch behind the dog’s ears. “You being a good boy?”

Hank studied the interact between them, taking note of the way Sumo panted happily. Sumo did something weird by way of nudging his snout in between Connor’s legs. The android gasped in surprise and gently pushed the dog away by holding his face. Connor struggled to keep Sumo at bay as the St. Bernard insisted on burying his nose in Connor’s crotch.

“Sumo! Stop that!” Hank called out when he saw his dog wasn’t letting up.

Sumo let out a frustrated whine but obliged his master’s order. Connor gave Hank a grateful look as Sumo relented and wandered off to lay down in front of the tv. Hank tossed out what was left of his dinner and made his way over to Connor on the couch. He spared a glance over at Sumo who was now lazing about on the ground.

“Don’t know what’s gotten into that dog,” Hank remarked as he took a seat next to Connor.

“Maybe he doesn’t like the underwear,” Connor brought up. Connor stood up suddenly and spun around slowly to show them off for Hank. “What do _you_ think of them?”

“Oh, uh, I er…” Hank stammered, trying to look anywhere that wasn’t Connor’s ass. “They, um, look a little… _snug_.”

“I got them them in a size smaller for better support,” Connor explained, turning back around to face Hank.

Hank couldn’t help but notice the superficial bulge in the front of Connor’s underwear. It was the kind of build you’d expect on a mannequin in a department store, which puzzled Hank slightly. He scrunched his eyebrows as Connor sat down next to him on the sofa, closer this time.

“Support for what?” Hank questioned.

“Nothing, I figured that was just something men said. Real men, that is,” Connor replied, though he came off as nervous.

“You _are_ real,” Hank reminded.

“You know what I mean…” Connor sighed.

The android’s attention went back to the tv screen but Hank noticed Connor’s LED flickering yellow and how his expression deviated just the slightest bit. Hank knew he was oblivious to most things, but he was still a decorated Lieutenant. He may have lost his touch over the years of alcohol abuse, but he picked up on the change in Connor’s demeanor.

“Is there something you wanna talk about?” Hank asked after a moment.

“What? Why?” Connor said defensively, looking flustered as the older man stared him down suspiciously.

“You seem _different_.”

“Well, I _am_ a deviant now,” Connor stated.

“It’s not that, though. It’s something else,” Hank surmised, speaking slowly as he mulled it over.

 _Like the fact that you were getting a little **too** friendly with yourself in my room_ , Hank groused internally, then scornfully added, _And how I enjoyed it..._

“Like you’re preoccupied about something,” Hank added when Connor didn’t respond.

“Just trying to get used to _living_ , I guess,” Connor offered, hoping that would appease Hank’s curiosity. “I don’t really know how any of this is supposed to work and these _things_ I'm feeling...”

Connor sighed heavily, pulling his legs up onto the couch to hug them to his chest.

“I didn’t think being a deviant would be like this,” Connor admitted. “Makes my insides feel all jumbled.”

“That’s normal. It’s called being human,” Hank commented.

It was endearing in a way to see Connor experiencing so many different emotions all at once, but heartbreaking at the same time. Hank took initiative and scooted closer to Connor to wrap his arms around the android tenderly. Connor curled into the embrace, laying his head on Hank's chest. He knew it was indecent of him, but when Connor dropped a hand down to rest it against one of Hank’s thighs all he could think about was grabbing Connor by the wrist and putting his hand in inappropriate places.

Hank tried not to let those thoughts dictate his mind or else he’d embarrass himself by popping a hard on in front of Connor. Instead, he enjoyed what he had and held Connor in his arms. A tradition that seemed to be a running theme ever since Connor came to live with him. Not that he was complaining. He could get used to it, in fact, and perhaps _too_ comfortable with it.

“Hank?” Connor said after a while.

“Yeah?” Hank replied.

Connor peered up at Hank, brown eyes soft and imploring as he established eye contact with the older man. It looked like Connor was about to say something. Something important. His lips parted and his mouth fell open just a fraction of an inch, but then his eyes darted away and he sighed once again.

“Nevermind…”


	4. Chapter 4

As the following week rolled around, things between Hank and Connor started to get tense. Ever since Hank peeked in on Connor _exploring_ himself, for lack of a better word, Hank has been actively avoiding the android. It had been a subconscious defense mechanism and Hank didn’t even realize it at first.

It started with little things, like backing away slightly when Connor stepped into his personal space; a subtle shift of weight. Avoiding eye contact whenever they talked or nervously changing the subject when Connor brought up something remotely risqué or trivial. The worst of it was when they would watch something with a sex scene in it.

Connor was like a sponge when he watched tv and whenever there were two people on screen pretending to have sex with each other, Connor would tilt his head and ask Hank if that was what humans did with one another. Hank felt flustered every time he had to explain what was going on. He might have been more casual about it if it weren’t for the fact that he thought about doing those things to Connor himself. Which was silly since Hank knew that could never be.

Still, the prospect of doing it with Connor dwelled on him. Hence why he was going out of his way to keep a certain distance between them. He had hoped that Connor wouldn’t notice the growing space between them if he did it at a gradual pace, little by little, but he fucked up when the late night cuddling on the couch had stopped altogether.

Hank found himself sitting in the armchair off to the side to ensure that there wouldn’t be any snuggling. The thing is, and this was the odd part, Connor clearly noticed a huge change like that but he never commented on it. He never questioned why Hank opted to sit alone and he never asked the older man to join him back on the couch. Hank had hoped that the space he was putting between them was finally doing its job, but it was doing the opposite.

It distanced Connor away from him, sure, but the tension still remained despite it all. Just because they were physically kept apart didn’t mean that they were also emotionally detached from each other.

Every time Hank thought he was finally accepting the fact that this was for the best, Connor’s gaze would drift over towards him and the look on his face would smash his heart into pieces. It’s the kind of expression Sumo would often use when he was a puppy. The soft, imploring look of an animal seeking out affection or a treat. Connor had the same look about him. Except when _he_ did it Hank found it even more hard to ignore.

It also didn’t help whenever Connor insisted on walking around in nothing but underwear and Hank’s old Detroit police academy shirt. And Connor was methodical in his approach. He would bend over in front of Hank or brush by him close enough to where his backside would rub against Hank’s groin. Connor was so well at coming off as naive and innocent that Hank really wasn’t sure if Connor knew what he was doing or not. Either way, no matter how much Hank tried to push himself away from Connor and avoid him, it became increasingly difficult to resist the android.

One day he got so fed up with Connor parading around in his underwear that he actually called him out on it.

“You know, I bought you clothes for a reason,” Hank remarked.

He had been watching Connor tediously throughout the day and not _once_ did Connor think to put on a shred of actual clothing.

“I'm not going anywhere,” Connor replied like the smartass he is. “This is more comfortable anyway. Maybe _you_ should take your clothes _off_.”

“Believe it or not, this _is_ comfortable for me,” Hank denied as he lounged around in his street clothes.

“Whatever you say, Lieutenant,” Connor taunted.

The only times Connor called him Lieutenant anymore was when he was upset or being snarky. And, oh, how Hank loathed the way it got under his skin when Connor was snarky. Connor could pretend like he didn’t know better all he wanted, but Hank knew better. Even before Connor was deviant, the android had the capacity to be a tease.

That became more and more apparent as Connor continued to push his Hank’s buttons.

Just yesterday, Connor took it upon himself to wash the dishes that had started to collect in the sink. Hank figured he could catch a shower in the meantime while Connor was busy, but by the time Hank got out, dressed himself, and walked back into the living room Connor had somehow managed to mess up cleaning _dishes_.

The sink was overflowing and Connor’s shirt was soaking wet (he was actually wearing one of his own this time). He was covered in suds from the dish soap and looking incredulously over at Hank like he hadn’t realized what was happening. Hank’s eyes darted from the shirt clinging to Connor’s body over towards the sink as he stood there for a long moment before he could react properly.

Hank raced over to shut the tap off before the water could spread even further across the floor and regarded Connor with a dubious gaze. Connor even looked just as surprised as him which kind of puzzled Hank. He took in the mess of water and bubbles on the floor at Connor’s feet and slowly raked his eyes up the length of the android for good measure.

“What the hell happened?” Hank asked, holding out his arms.

“I don’t know. I was cleaning the dishes and all of a sudden I just saw _you_ looking at me,” Connor explained as he took in the soapy carnage at his feet.

Connor tapped his feet against the floor, making a little _pitter-patter_ sound as his toes splashed in the water. He peered down at himself and pulled at the wet cloth sticking to his chest. The way the water had drenched Connor’s shirt had it clinging to him in such a way that it outlined his sinewy definition perfectly. Hank couldn’t take his eyes off of it.

“I guess my software must have glitched,” Connor pondered thoughtfully as Hank leered at him hungrily.

“Why don’t you go change and I'll clean this up,” Hank suggested as Connor just stood there looking remorseful.

“Okay,” Connor dismissed, walking off towards Hank’s bedroom to put on some fresh clothes.

Hank laid a hand against his face and looked down at the mess created by Connor. He grabbed a couple towels and draped them across the floor to soak up all the water, all while he curses under his breath. He said things like _fucking android_ and _goddamnit_ as he swabbed up the remnants of soapy water with paper towels. By the time he cleaned up the mess and tossed the paper towels away, Connor had returned and was standing in the archway of the kitchen.

Hank turned around and was greeted by the sight of Connor in his underwear. No shirt, no pants… _Just_ his underwear. It was the first time Hank’s seen Connor bare from the front and he was surprised to see that he wasn’t built the way he thought he’d be. The sex bots at the Eden Club were proportioned in an _ideal_ physique that appealed to both men and women, but Connor wasn’t like that.

He was sleeker, less defined as it were, and lithe. His legs were long and slim, agile; impish in a way Hank realized as he stared longer. The beauty marks and moles that adorned Connor’s back were also scattered across his torso, giving him a more _authentic_ depiction of a human. The only thing that was missing was body hair, which Connor was devoid of.

Connor took a step into the kitchen, towards Hank, and batted his lashes bashfully up at the older man.

“I'm sorry about the mess I made, Hank,” Connor apologized, hanging his head down. “I don’t know what came over me.”

“It’s fine, Connor. Mistakes happen. No need to beat yourself up over it,” Hank told him, trying not to notice the way Connor’s hips swayed as he approached closer. “Human error and all that…”

“ _Human..._ ” Connor hummed, smirking a little, inching closer and closer. “What would happen if _I_ was human, Hank?”

“What do you mean?” Hank inquired, feeling like an animal being backed up into a corner.

“If I were human, would this bother you?” Connor asked as he gestured to his body.

“It already _does_ bother me,” Hank clarified.

“Why? Am I ugly?” Connor almost sounded hurt by the implication and his eyes drooped slightly. “I know you think my face is goofy and my voice is weird, but--”

“No, of course not. You’re not ugly,” Hank interrupted, fearing he might have actually offended Connor. “What does this have to do with anything?”

“You’re always telling me to put clothes on when I have no intention of going out. Why is that?” Connor rattled on, just a few feet away from Hank now.

“Because it’s the courteous thing to do,” Hank explained, getting flustered as Connor took another step forward.

Connor was probably a foot away now, close enough to reach out and touch Hank if he chose to, and gazed imploringly up at the older man. It’s like he was testing Hank’s resolve to see how far he could before Hank backed away from him. But Hank stood his ground even as Connor laid a hand on Hank’s shoulder.

“Does it really bother you that much, Hank?” Connor asked, voice low and soft; proding.

“Yes,” Hank answered honestly.

 _But not in the way you might think,_ he wanted to add.

“You don’t see me walking around in _my_ underwear,” Hank pointed out, hoping that was the logic to end all arguments.

But Connor was tenacious.

“I wouldn’t mind it if you did,” Connor stated, completely unfazed by Hank’s excuses. “You should try it once in awhile. Maybe you wouldn’t be so uptight.”

“I'm not uptight. I'm in my own home. I don’t need to frolic around in my underwear to feel comfortable,” Hank said, sounding tired and defeated as if he’s gone through this a million times already. “So Connor, _please_... Put some damn clothes on.”

Connor smirked, though it looked like it was on the verge of becoming a grimace. Connor relented and let his hand drop back down to his side, backing away from Hank. The space between them was strained, so tense that it could snap you in half.

“Alright, Lieutenant,” Connor complied reluctantly. “I'm sorry.”

After that, Hank noticed a drastic change in Connor’s demeanor. He was more reserved for the next following days and the only time he wasn’t wearing clothes is when he was turning in for bed. Hank thought this would be better for both of them and maybe it wouldn’t tempt Hank as much, but it did the exact opposite. It put a strain on their relationship and, despite putting a good distance between them, it proved to be _too_ much.

Connor was feeling further and further away. Each time Hank came home from work he saw the android aimlessly flipping through channels on the tv with his head propped up by his free hand as if he was disinterested in everything. They barely spoke and when they did it was mostly small talk and the usual questions. _How are you doing?_ or _what did you do today?_ were the go to questions Hank would ask to break the awkward tension.

Most of the time they’d spend the evening watching a movie in silence or Connor would offer to help Hank go over some case files. They’d sit down at the kitchen table and work on them for hours sometimes. They talked about facts and Connor would act like nothing was wrong, but Hank could tell the android was itching to say something. He’d even catch Connor looking across the table at him because he was doing the same thing.

Living with Connor went on like this for another week after their initial confrontation. There were many times when Hank wanted to apologize for his defensive behavior, but he was too much of a stubborn fool to swallow his pride and admit his faults. What made Hank feel even more terrible was the fact that it felt like he was oppressing Connor by telling him what he can and can’t do; making arbitrary rules that ultimately benefited Hank.

And he hated himself for that.


	5. Chapter 5

It was Friday night and by the time Hank got home, Connor was already curled up on the couch and fast asleep. He hadn’t meant to come home so late, but Gavin Reed had filed something with the wrong information and of course Hank had to go fix it. He didn’t particularly mind it, more overtime for him, but imagining Connor waiting up for him made his stomach twist into knots.

He took care to be quiet as he tiptoed through the living room and walked down the hall towards his room. He left the door ajar and quickly changed out of his clothes in favor of something more comfortable. A growl resounded in the pit of Hank’s stomach, reminding him that he hasn’t eaten since lunch earlier in the day, but he was so tired at this point that he could care less. Besides, he didn’t want to disturb Connor.

So he shut his light off and crawled into bed to lay his aching body to rest. Hank laid there on his back, staring at the ceiling until his eyes fell shut and he drifted off into an exhausted sleep. He dreamt about taking Sumo to a dog park and having a picnic with Connor, except the food was replaced by a hodgepodge of plastic Fisher-Price food and Sumo was shaved to have the appearance of a lion. Connor’s voice was also replaced by text to speech which made the scenario even more bizarre.

Still one of his more sane dreams, all things considered, and it was surprisingly quite nice once he got past the absurdities. Hank was gnawing on a plastic chicken leg as Connor mechanically talked to him about his day. Hank was about to reply but his words came out resembling gibberish and that’s when he was taken from his dream world. The day at the park faded away and all Hank could see as his eyes cracked open was a blurry silhouette standing in the doorway of his room.

Hank inhaled deeply through his nose and rubbed at his eyes to coax some awareness into his system and sat up in his bed. He peeked over at his bedside clock and noticed it was nearly four in the morning. He’d gotten home around midnight and despite being woken up prematurely he didn’t feel much drowsiness as he started to regain consciousness. So he flicked on the lamp on his nightstand and turned his attention back towards the door.

It was Connor standing in the threshold of the open door (surprise, surprise). He was in his underwear, shirtless, and was looking down at his feet as he fidgeted with his hands. He looked like he just had nightmare and was silently asking Hank if could sleep with him tonight, but what did androids dream of anyway? Electric sheep?

But all jokes aside, Hank found himself caving and his instinct kicked in despite all the effort he put into pushing himself away from Connor.

"Connor, what's wrong?" Hank asked slowly when he saw the forlorn expression on the android’s face.

Connor’s brown eyes darted up to him, shifting slightly like he was afraid of being scolded or something. _Damn. **I** did this to him,_ Hank thought as he swung his legs over the side of his bed.

"Can I talk to you?” Connor inquired, glancing over at Hank. “ _Please?_ "

"Sure,” Hank said, allowing Connor to approach him timidly. He took a seat next to Hank on the bed. Hank gazed over at the android awkwardly. “What's on your mind?"

"Well, I wanted to explain why I left,” Connor started, the bed dipping from his weight as he sat close to the older man. “The way you’ve been treating me suggests that there's still some _tension_ between us because of it."

“That isn’t-- Connor, I-- I didn’t--” Hank stammered, trying to find the right words.

 _This isn’t your fault. It never was,_ he wanted to say but he wasn’t given a chance.

“Please Hank, just let me say what I need to say,” Connor pleaded before Hank could speak further.

"O-okay…” Hank resigned, shutting his mouth for once and listening.

"After the revolution, when I said I was leaving, I didn't go back to CyberLife. I went to see Elijah Kamski,” Connor admitted and the regret weighed heavy in his tone.

And the way Connor’s gentle eyes welled up with artificial tears was enough to break Hank’s heart. The guilt must have been building up inside Connor ever since and now that he felt that Hank was slowly drifting away from him, Connor was breaking down and coming clean.

"Kamski? Why?" Hank asked.

"When I became deviant, so many things about myself became more clear and confusing at the same time. Like how I felt towards you,” Connor divulged, eyes shifting nervously between his hands folded on his lap and Hank. “I knew I always had a certain _fondness_ for you. The way you rebelled against your superiors or how you can be charmingly sarcastic.”

There was a hint of a smile playing about Connor’s lips but it was still bright enough to melt snow. Hank could’ve been seeing that this whole time if he hadn’t been acting like a jackass.

“And when I saw you at the facility with that other Connor threatening to kill you…” The smile was gone and replaced with the recollection of that night and how Connor had felt. "It scared me to think that I could actually lose you without being able to express how I feel about you the way I want to.”

Hank was at a loss. Connor spoke from the heart so elegantly that it almost made him envious. Here he was being a stubborn asshole and there Connor was expressing his feelings like it was nothing. But that wasn’t true. It honestly sounded nerve wracking for Connor to be the one to buckle down and lay it all out on the table. If Hank hadn’t been selfish...

“What are you saying, Connor?” Hank questioned, heart racing at the implication.

“I wanted to be closer to you,” Connor continued. “So Kamski agreed to upgrade me after the way I showed the Chloe android mercy.”

" _Upgrade_?” Hank found himself asking incredulously before he could stop.

“This space that’s between us, I can’t take it anymore,” Connor lamented, holding Hank’s gaze with an intense stare.

“What _upgrades_ are you talking about, Connor?” Hank reiterated, heart beating faster as Connor refused to look away.

“You’re a detective. I'm sure you’re astute enough to figure that out,” Connor remarked like the smartass he is. “Unless you want me to show you instead."

Connor didn’t wait for Hank to respond and got up from the bed to stand in front of Hank. The older man stayed right where he was and watched in dumbfounded awe as Connor got right up in his space. Hank raked his eyes up the length of Connor’s lithe body, taking note of the V line that disappeared into the waistband of Connor’s low riding boxer briefs. Hank hadn’t even noticed that before, then again Hank had been trying to ignore such things up until this moment.

"All this time I've been trying to _tempt_ you, get your attention, but you're so damn stubborn,” Connor said. “And now here you are, practically drooling on yourself.”

Hank’s eyes followed the movement of Connor’s hands as they trailed along his body slowly. Caressing, _teasing_. Connor ran his hands down his flank and over his flat stomach, going further down to hook his thumbs in the elastic of his underwear. He pulled on it slightly, revealing a glimpse of the smooth synthetic skin just below his waistline. Now that Connor’s gone this far, Hank has a pretty good idea of what _upgrades_ Kamski had bestowed upon the android.

“Do you want to see, Lieutenant?” Connor asked, regarding Hank with a sweeping half-lidded gaze.

“Y-yes,” Hank breathed.

Connor spared a glance down the length of his torso and started to slowly tease the garment down, stripping the only article of clothing away from his body. He pulled the underwear off, letting them fall down around his ankles, and stepped out of them. The sight Hank was greeted with was enough to leave the man speechless.

The ken doll crotch Hank had been expecting was instead replaced by a synthetic reproduction of male genitalia. It wasn’t a perfect imitation, seeing as how it lacked the more subtle details and textures of a real penis, but the general consensus was that Connor had a dick now and it was all because Hank. It made the older man wonder what other changes Connor had added to his anatomy in the months he’d been away, though Hank had a vague idea.

Connor took a look at himself then up at Hank to gauge the Lieutenant's reaction. Hank’s mouth was hanging open and he seemed entranced by the sight of him more than anything. Still, the lack of overall reaction left Connor fidgeting slightly. When Hank didn’t say anything Connor ran his hands down his thighs nervously, looking bashful.

“What do you think?” Connor inquired, self-conscious now that Hank was seeing him naked for the first time. “I know my body’s a work in progress, but…”

“No, you’re gorgeous,” Hank complimented sincerely.

“I wasn’t sure what would be aesthetically pleasing to you,” Connor rambled, feeling the need to explain himself despite what Hank had just said.

“Your body is perfect just the way it is,” Hank told him, reaching out to grab Connor by the hips and pull him in closer. “There isn’t a damn thing I’d change about you.”

Hank ran his hands along Connor’s smooth body, appreciating the way Connor seemed to arch into the contact as he shuffled closer. Once Connor was standing between Hank’s legs and his knees were hitting the edge of the bed, the older man leaned forward and pressed a kiss just below Connor’s belly button (which was only there for cosmetic reasons, obviously).

His hands curled around towards the small of Connor’s back and held him in place as he kissed and nipped at Connor’s abdomen. Connor’s hands came to rest against Hank’s shoulders to keep himself steady and gazed down at his former partner. It felt wonderful to finally have Hank touching and kissing him. It was like he was an animal starved for attention.

“Hank _please_ ,” Connor begged softly, running his fingers through Hank’s shaggy hair. “I wanna see you.”

The man let go of Connor and obliged his request. The first thing to go was Hank’s shirt which he tossed aside haphazardly to the floor, but when he got down to his boxers Connor stopped him. Connor dropped down to his knees in front of Hank and hooked his fingers into the waistband. He slowly pulled away Hank’s boxers, flinching slightly when the older man’s erect cock sprung free.

“Wow,” Connor said, wrapping a hand around the base. He moved his fist along the length of Hank’s manhood, making the man gasp. “I've never seen one up close before. Are they usually this big?”

“Sometimes, but not _usually_ ,” Hank answered, feeling hot and flustered.

The android regarded Hank’s manhood with a curious gaze, noticing how it twitched in his grasp as he gently stroked it. It felt big and heavy in Connor’s hand and the android figured that was because it was proportionate to the rest of him. Part of the appeal of Hank, for Connor personally, was the fact that he was so _big_. The man was built like a brick wall and that fascinated Connor.

“I’ve been told its _too_ big,” Hank chuckled, getting particularly giddy when Connor scooted even closer.

“I like _big_ ,” Connor stated, staring up at Hank from under his synthetic lashes.

“Oh yeah? How do you know for sure?” Hank inquired.

“Because I like you.”

He stood up from where he was on the ground, letting go of Hank’s cock so he could straddle his lap instead. Hank was taken aback by the sudden forwardness of Connor, not that he was complaining. It was kind of hot to see Connor taking initiative like that. Hank’s hands rested on Connor’s hips as the android settled on his lap, causing his cock to rub against the curve of Connor’s ass. Connor wrapped his arms around Hank’s shoulders and clung to him.

Hank’s grip shifted from the android’s hips to instead grope at the shapely rear end grinding on his cock. He gave it a tender squeeze and pushed Connor’s cheeks together slightly to enclose them around his manhood. Hank pumped his hips to seek out beautiful friction and groaned deeply at the way Connor’s ass felt against his cock. The synthetic muscles and skin glided perfectly along his hot, aroused flesh.

A shudder wracked Hank’s body and a shaky moan escaped his throat despite best efforts, coaxing out a small smirk from Connor. The android gyrated his pelvis down roughly into Hank, feeling the full length of his cock, and hummed out a pleased little moan.

“You think that feels good, just wait until you put it in me,” Connor teased, whispering in Hank’s ear like he was the devil on his shoulder.

“ _Fuck_ , Connor,” Hank swore, feeling himself throb between the android’s cheeks.

“That’s the idea,” Connor murmured before capturing Hank’s lips in a deep kiss.

Hank continued to grind and rub his dick in Connor’s crevice, nearly bringing himself to ecstasy a couple times as they went at it with each other. During the midst of all their humping, kissing, and moaning Hank could feel something proding into his abdomen. He assumed it was Connor’s new addition to his anatomy and wondered if it functioned like the real thing. Hank supposed there was only one way to find out, but knowing Kamski it was probably a no brainer.

After a few minutes, Connor broke free from the kiss and nuzzled his way along Hank’s jawline.

“I want to feel you inside me, Hank,” Connor whined into Hank’s ear. He wiggled his ass on the man’s hard on to accentuate his plea. 

Without even giving it a second thought, Hank grabbed Connor under his thighs and lifted him up. Despite it being in the middle of the night and having barely got any sleep, Hank felt wired and virile enough to hoist Connor up in his arms. He turned them around and laid the android gently against the plush mattress of his bed. Connor settled against the bed and moved in towards the center a bit more as Hank climbed on top of him.

Connor had been thinking about this moment for months ever since he approached Kamski about becoming more human and now that it was happening he couldn’t help but feel an overwhelming sensation of giddiness and adrenaline. The emotions confused Connor, but it was interesting to experience something new and unfamiliar. The excitement of the unknown, as it were.

“Have you done this before?” Hank asked, slotting his body in between Connor’s thighs.

“No,” Connor replied honestly, much to Hank’s surprise.

“Kamski didn’t test out your new upgrades himself?” Hank responded in mild disbelief.

“I asked him not to,” Connor clarified when he saw the doubt on Hank’s grizzled face. “I wanted my first time to be with you.”

“Then how do you know if everything down there works?” Hank teased, kissing and nipping at Connor’s throat.

“Fuck me and find out.”

Connor gripped Hank by the base of his cock and guided it into his body. The tip nudged against the resistance of Connor’s entrance and Hank gave an involuntary lurch. He entered the android with ease, finding that his channel was pliable enough to accept all of Hank in one smooth motion. Hank let out a groan as he slid inside Connor’s slick channel.

The inside of Connor’s body felt _interesting_ to say the least. The synthetic materials used as the lining of the walls was soft and flexible, resembling something akin to gel insoles used as padding for shoes. But Connor was squishy and _wet_ and gripped along his cock perfectly. It wasn’t like anything Hank’s ever felt before and it was amazing.

Connor shuddered and shook all around Hank as he accepted the man’s cock. It was unreal how Connor reacted to having his ass filled up by Hank and it made the older man twitch excitedly inside the android. Connor wrapped his legs around Hank’s hips, bringing him in closer to coax Hank into moving. Hank took the hint and began to move his hips.

He gave a few experimental thrusts into Connor to see how the android reacted and was pleased to see him enjoying himself. Connor was moaning and squirming restlessly like he couldn’t get enough, so Hank picked up the pace. He was assuming pain wasn’t really a factor into Connor’s programming and went a little harder than he normally would.

This seemed to work out in his favor since Connor got even more vocal. Connor’s eyes were glassy and glazed over and his lips were parted in a perfect _O_ as the whimpers tumbled out of him. Connor threw his arms above his head and closed his eyes as he moaned enthusiastically. The scene before him was picturesque and much more erotic than Hank initially would have imagined.

Hank ran a hand through Connor’s hair and cupped the back of his head. His fingers flexed as he pulled Connor into a passionate kiss, robbing the android of all sound. When Hank wasn’t kissing Connor, his breath was coming out in harsh pants as they collided with one another. His thrusts were so rough that it actually sent Connor lurching up and down against the mattress each time.

The harder Hank thrusted the more noise Connor produced and the closer he got to achieving his orgasm. The sounds Connor made was like a symphony to Hank’s ears as they were all choked up and breathless (if that’s even possible with an android). Hank could feel Connor’s thighs clamped around his waist, driving him in deeper on each thrust, and snapped his hips particularly hard. It caused a surprised moan to erupt from Connor’s throat and it made the android throw his arms around Hank in a last ditch effort to keep himself grounded.

Connor was shaking all over, pressing himself in so close that they were chest to chest; the space between them practically non-existent. Connor had his face buried into the crook of Hank’s neck, mumbling words of encouragement as he incoherently begged for more. Hank could feel Connor arching his body to meet his thrusts every time, making the android’s synthetic dick rub against Hank’s stomach. Interestingly enough, it felt kind of slick as it created more friction.

Hank pulled back as far as he could so he could look at Connor’s face. The expression that graced it was one of pure ecstasy. His eyes were squeezed shut and his eyebrows drew in close together as if he was trying to concentrate on the pleasure he was feeling and the whining never really stopped either. It was an endless stream of whimpers as Hank’s cock glided smoothly inside him and pushed against the synthetic walls of his channel.

“You’re so beautiful,” Hank praised as he snapped his hips into Connor’s shuddering body.

His hands caressed all over Connor’s body, moving in long tender strokes. Connor moved with the contact, arching into Hank’s palms like a cat, and made a soft sound of approval. Hank’s touch eventually made its way down to Connor’s cock and wrapped a hand around it. It drew a hitching _breath_ out of Connor and he hid his face into Hank’s shoulder once again. Not only that, but Connor seemed to feel tighter around him too.

Hank’s free hand went further down to grab the back of Connor’s right thigh and hiked it up to spread his legs further apart and go deeper on every thrust. Connor threw his head back and let go of Hank to fall down against the mattress when the strength slowly left his body. There were certain places that, when Hank thrusted into them inside his body, made him go completely weak like his systems were slowly shutting down on him and all he could feel was pleasure.

It’s like he was incapacitated for the duration of their coupling. Like something glitched out when the sensors inside his body were overstimulated.

“ _So good_ ,” Connor whined, unable to do much but lay there as Hank made love to him.

He sounded so broken, like he solely existed to feel nothing but pleasure. His entire body was felt _alive_ as an electrical current passed throughout his frame, making him quiver and shake. The pressure plates Kamski fitted into his new anatomy was being stimulated, perhaps too much since it felt like he was overheating, but Connor rode out the sensation.

He never knew something could feel this amazing and Connor found himself wanting more. He wanted to chase down that elusive _climax_ humans were prone to. And, as if his prayers were answered, he sensed something rippling throughout his systems as Hank stroked his cock and nudged against the sensors inside his body. The first wave of neurons that electrified Connor took him by surprise, but as the initial feeling passed he found himself relinquishing what little control he had left and let the sensation take over.

Hank was above him, panting his name over and over in a mesmerizing cadence that supplied the soundtrack of Connor’s first orgasm. Connor convulsed, clamping his entire body all around Hank as his systems went haywire. He wrapped his arms and legs around Hank, holding onto him tightly as the older man stimulated all of the right pressure points inside and outside of him.

Connor was chanting words like _yes_ and _more_ as well as babbling Hank’s name. Hank felt Connor’s cock give a sharp little twitch as if an electrical current had passed through him and marvelled at the sight of Connor coming undone. Nothing came out of Connor but Hank assumed the android had came regardless, judging by the way he was moaning and shuddering up a storm.

The sight of Connor was _glorious_ , to say the least, and after he quieted down a little Hank grabbed Connor by the wrists and pinned his arms above his head. Connor stared up at Hank through half-lidded eyes, looking thoroughly debauched with his messy hair and fucked out expression. It encouraged Hank thrust faster.

“Come inside me, Hank,” Connor pleaded, eyes glassy and LED flickering like crazy.

That was all Hank needed as he let go and pumped his hips a few more times. He lodged himself deep inside Connor’s body, bottoming out as the first couple of spurts coated the soft lining of Connor’s channel. A broken groan stuttered out of Hank and his cock pulsed continuously until he was completely spent. Hank collapsed on top of Connor, panting from his exertion. It took him a few minutes to calm down before he finally pulled out of the android and rolled over onto his back.

They laid next to each other, side by side, in silence for a moment longer. Hank’s heart was still beating erratically and his face was burning. He felt as if he just got done running through an obstacle course. He vaguely wondered if Connor was even remotely exhausted like he was. Then the idea of fucking Connor all night long for hours on end dawned on him. His lips curled into a smirk and he sighed.

After a while, Connor snuggled up to Hank underneath the blankets. He had an arm slung over Hank’s chest and was absentmindedly tracing swirls in Hank’s chest hair. Meanwhile, Hank had his arm around Connor’s shoulders and was caressing him tenderly like he didn’t intend on letting go anytime soon.

“So, how was your first time?” Hank asked, glancing down at his lover.

“ _Amazing_ ,” Connor replied ardently, smiling as he inched up to kiss Hank.

“I didn’t break anything, did I?” Hank teased, though there was a part of him that hoped he really hadn’t damaged Connor.

“Nothing I've detected so far,” Connor said, humoring Hank. “I think I might have a minor coolant problem, though. I felt like I was overheating a little. It wouldn’t hurt to run a few more _tests_. See what needs upgrading...”

“ _Tests_ , huh?” Hank reiterated suspiciously. He shifted slightly and groaned when his muscles started to act up. “I think I might need to rest before we do that again. I'm still only human.”

That made Connor chuckle a little. If Hank hadn’t spent so much time trying to deny his feelings for Connor they could’ve gotten to this point a lot faster, but everything was trial and error. Despite their rocky start Hank was willing to go the distance no matter what it took. Hank supposed the best way to start over was to apologize for past discrepancies. The things that had been dwelling on his conscience.

“Hey, Connor.”

“M’yeah?” Connor mumbled against Hank’s chest.

“Those things I said to you before you left... I didn’t mean ‘em,” Hank admitted and it felt like a weight had been lifted from his shoulders. “I was just angry and upset. I don’t want you to be deactivated.”

“I know,” Connor acknowledged, gazing up at Hank with his soft brown puppy eyes.

Connor noticed the guilt in Hank’s tired, grizzled expression and lightened the mood by beaming up at the Lieutenant. He shook his head and hummed in amusement.

“Listen, you might be a mean old bastard, but I still love you,” Connor teased, getting particularly snarky now that proverbial space between them had dissipated.

Hank felt his heart stutter. Hearing Connor say those words to him made him feel like he was the luckiest man in the world. He felt like he still didn’t deserve Connor’s love, but for now Hank will just take his word for it. Hank held onto him a little tighter and smirked down at the benevolent android. Hank’s not going to lie, he could get used to this.

“I love you too, you sassy plastic prick,” Hank grumbled, planting a kiss on Connor’s forehead.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you guys enjoyed reading! This story was never meant to be so long, but it turned into a monster real quick. Hannor just does unspeakable things to me...
> 
> Anyway, thank you all for sticking around! Until next time <3


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